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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24795706">Starry Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/piecrust/pseuds/piecrust'>piecrust</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Itewon Class Inspired, M/M, Slow Burn, Triad - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:48:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24795706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/piecrust/pseuds/piecrust</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Blood is to be paid in blood and no good deed goes unpunished in the triad. </p><p>In the dark world of the triad, Mo shines brighter than anyone He Tian has ever met - of course He Tian wants him. Of course.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>He Tian/Mo Guanshan (19 Days), Jian Yi/Zhan Zhengxi (19 Days)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>268</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He Tian lit his cigarette and took a deep inhale, feeling the smoke settle in his chest.</p><p>He stared down at the light-haired boy trembling on the ground in front of him. He sighed. Paying back his brother’s favors was always so annoying.</p><p>He kicked the boy lazily, knocking him over. “You almost cost us back there,” he said calmly. “One of my boys is bleeding ‘cause of you.”</p><p>“I- I- I can hardly see how I’m responsible for your lackey being an idiot,” the boy argued back, eyes flashing even as his body trembled in fear. He righted himself back to kneeling in front of He Tian.</p><p>He Tian looked down on him in amusement. Was the kid brave or stupid? He looked over to Zhan Zhengxi, who was being sewn up in the corner of the room. “What do you think, Zhengxi?” he asked. “This little pretty boy doesn’t seem at all appreciative of you saving his life.” He took another drag of his cigarette. “How should we punish him?”</p><p>Zhengxi looked at He Tian and then at the boy kneeling on the ground. There was something dark and shuttered about his gaze. “He’s an idiot,” he said slowly. “I doubt any punishment would change that.”</p><p>He Tian huffed a small laugh at that. “You’re so nice, Zhengxi,” he said, staring down at the blonde boy who was glaring up at him. “Maybe punishment won’t change him, but it won’t hurt to try.” He picked up the wooden paddle on the table. “I’ll be nice – nothing permanent.” The boy paled as He Tian squatted down next to him, paddle in hand. “30 whacks with this won’t kill you,” he said kindly, smiling benevolently.</p><p>The boy gulped and tried to scoot away from He Tian. “Can I decline?” he asked, shaking. “I’m very fragile and very pain adverse.”</p><p>He Tian smiled and tugged the boy back towards him. “You should be grateful. If it was up to my brother he’d cut off one of your fingers – maybe your whole hand.” The boy visibly paled at He Tian’s words. “Luckily, I’m much nicer than my brother. I mean my poor Zhengxi will have a scar because of you.” He gently smacked the side of the boy’s face with the paddle. “Zhengxi is going to have a scar but all you’ll have to endure is maybe a month of sleeping on your front – maybe some painful showers. Isn’t that a good trade?”</p><p>He Tian stood up, lifting the boy up with him. He was about to throw the boy to the wall when one of She Li’s men came forward – someone He Tian had never seen before – a red head. “He’s got the message, boss,” he said, scowling. “Your boy will be fine. Just… let him off this one time. I’ll make sure he learns his lesson.”</p><p>He Tian considered the red head, taking another drag of his cigarette. He was tall, with sharp features. Long eyes that were as strangely light colored as the rest of him. He Tian felt a tingling interest at the bottom of his spine – She Li’s crew had never spoken up for one of their own before. “And who might you be?” he asked, tightening his grip on the blonde.</p><p>“Just another one of She Li’s lackeys,” the red head answered, the scowl never easing up on his face.</p><p>He Tian blew smoke towards him. “She Li’s crew is unscathed while my boy is getting sewn up,” he said grinning. “One of my boys got hurt because of one of your guys’. How can I just let that go?”</p><p>The red head tilted his head up to look He Tian right in the eye. There was something wild about his gaze – something untamed. He Tian got the faint sense that the red head might attack him. After a beat of charged silence, the red head sighed, breaking eye contact. “Fine,” he said, resignedly.</p><p>He Tian grinned. The red head might have had a moment of bravery but he was the same as the rest of them – there was no such thing as an honorable gangster. He threw the blonde at the wall.</p><p>But…</p><p>Instead of hitting the wall, the red head stepped in to grab him.</p><p>“Everyone wait outside,” the red head barked to She Li’s men. He untied the blonde boy’s hands and pushed him towards the rest of the men. “You too.”</p><p>No one moved, the blonde was frozen watching the red head and He Tian with shocked eyes.</p><p>“What are you doing?” He Tian growled out, irritation raising his hackles.</p><p>“You’re right,” the red head said, meeting He Tian’s glare with his own. “It was our mistake. So it shouldn’t matter which one of us gets the punishment, right?”</p><p>“No!” the blonde exclaimed, running to stand in front of the red head. “I’ll take the punishment. It was my mistake.”</p><p>The red head pushed the blonde away. “Shut the fuck up,” he growled. “You’re always causing problems for me. Fucking listen for once and wait outside.”</p><p><em>Interesting</em>, He Tian thought. “You get off on playing the hero, red head?” he asked.</p><p>The red head barked a laugh at that – something sharp and mean. “You think I’m playing hero right now, boss?” he asked. “So you recognize yourself as the bad guy?”</p><p>He Tian narrowed his eyes at that. “If you’re looking for good guys, you shouldn’t be in the triad.”</p><p>“Yeah,” the red head mumbled absently. “I guess you’re right about that.” He looked at the blonde still standing in the room, staring dumbly at them. “Are you going to finally listen to me for once or are you just going stand there like an idiot?”</p><p>The blonde looked at the red head for a long second, his bottom lip trembling, “I’m not going to let you take my punishment,” he said. “It’s mine.”</p><p>The red head looked behind the blonde at She Li’s men, “Take him out,” he ordered.</p><p>He Tian wasn’t sure where the red head stood on the totem pole, but the men obeyed his orders easily. Two men from She Li’s group grabbed the struggling blonde and dragged him outside. The rest of the men followed them out.</p><p>“Red, red!” the blonde cried out desperately. “You chicken shit for brains dick shit! It’s my punishment, it’s mine!” He fought against the men dragging him out, kicking his legs out violently. “I’m not going to thank you for this!” he yelled, his voice cracking. “I’m going to kick your ass for this!”</p><p>The red head scowled at the blonde being dragged outside. “What kind of chicken shit insult is that?” he murmured to himself. “Fucking rotted brain is what that is.”</p><p>He Tian took another drag of his cigarette, observing the scene playing out before him. “You fucking the blonde, red?” he asked. “This some show of love or something?” He Tian just didn’t understand why the red head was doing this.</p><p>The red head stared at him, lips turning down in disgust. “I’d die before fucking that stupid piece of chicken shit.” He turned, throwing his sweatshirt onto the table. “If you’re going to say gross shit, I’d rather you just get started on the punishment.”</p><p>He Tian huffed a laugh at that. What an interesting character. He Tian took a final drag of his cigarette before flicking it out. With the sweater off, he noticed that the red head had a nice body. Sharp shoulders that tapered to a thin waist, his arms long and corded with lean muscles.</p><p>The red head lazily took off his shirt, as if he wasn’t going to get the shit beaten out of him in a minute, and He Tian felt his breath stop.</p><p>The red head’s back was mottled a grotesque scene of red and black.</p><p>He Tian couldn’t stop his hand from reaching out and grazing the bruises – they were new. He Tian could feel the heat coming off them and could see how the flesh was still swollen. The red head flinched at his touch. “Are you sure you should have volunteered?” He Tian asked, his voice coming out softer than he intended.</p><p>The red head shifted out of He Tian’s reach and turned to face him. His chest was just as mottled as his back. What the fuck had happened to him, He Tian wondered.</p><p>“Upset you won’t have a clean canvas?” the red head asked mockingly.</p><p>He Tian didn’t respond, looking over the red head’s bruised and battered body. He felt his stomach turn a bit and the violence splayed across his skin. He cursed his brother again. He Tian would never be in this position if not for him.</p><p>“What?” the red head asked sharply, seemingly discomfited by He Tian’s silence. “You couldn’t have thought that you were the only sadistic bastard in the triad.”</p><p>He Tian narrowed his eyes, regretting that he had flicked out his cigarette. “No,” he muttered, “I guess not.” Why was the red head doing this, he wondered. He juggled the paddle between his hands, suddenly regretting his decision to push the punishment. The red head hadn’t even done anything wrong.</p><p>The red head stared at him with those light eyes, and He Tian could see barely hidden disgust in them. “Don’t go soft on me now, boss,” he said snidely, surprising He Tian. How had the red head known? The red head turned to face the wall and falling against his hands and giving He Tian the full expanse of his back. “Let’s get this over with.”</p><p>He Tian tightened his hand around the paddle, feeling a dark annoyance growing inside of him. Who the fuck did this red head think he was? Did he think He Tian would be moved by his show of loyalty for his friend or something? Did he think He Tian couldn’t beat the shit out of him?</p><p>This was the triad. Blood was to be paid in blood.</p><p>The first whack rang out sharply in the dark room. This was what he was good at, He Tian thought darkly, a familiar feeling of disgust churning in his stomach. As much as He Tian hated his father and his brother, he couldn’t deny that he had a natural talent for this line of work.</p><p>He swung the paddle down again. The force of his swing tore the already abused skin on the red head’s back and drops of blood flew up to He Tian’s face when he lifted his arm back up.</p><p>He Tian felt an overwhelming feeling of self-hatred come over him. What the fuck was he doing, he thought faintly, hypnotized at the way his arm just went up and down and up and down.</p><p>This guy didn’t even deserve this, he thought, eyes glancing at the red head’s head, hung low between his shoulders. There was so much red. So much red everywhere. It made He Tian sick.</p><p>Fuck he brother, he thought savagely, and fuck this red head. Why had he volunteered for this when his body had already been so abused? Fuck the blonde and fuck Zhengxi. Why had they put He Tian in this position?</p><p>It was their fault that He Tian had been reduced to this – this machine of senseless violence and – oh my god there was just so much blood and the red head didn’t even deserve this. He hadn’t even done anything wrong. Why had he volunteered, He Tian wondered desperately. Why?</p><p>He Tian felt arms pull him away from the red head, breaking his manic train of thought.</p><p>“You’ve done enough,” Zhengxi said above him.</p><p>He Tian looked up at Zhengxi in shock and nodded slowly. He righted himself to his full height and looked at the red head, still holding himself up on the wall. His back was a mess, dark red dripped down from where his skin had torn. The waists of his jeans were dark where the blood had seeped in. </p><p>He Tian felt Zhengxi take the paddle from his nerveless fingers.</p><p>The red head took a heaving breath, and coughed wetly. He Tian could hear the sound of blood hitting the floor. “Fuck,” the red head breathed out. “Fuck.” The red head righted himself up slowly, bringing his arms down inch by inch as if just that movement caused him pain.</p><p>He Tian swallowed down the bile that threatened to come up his throat.</p><p>Zhengxi walked over to the red head. “I’ll bandage you up,” he said, placing a hand on the red head’s arm.</p><p>The red head knocked the touch away, rather violently. “Don’t fucking touch me,” he growled, blood trailing down his mouth. He coughed again, drops of blood falling to the floor, and grinned a bloody grin at He Tian. “What’s the matter, boss?” he asked, something sharp and cruel in his voice. “Can’t stand to look at your work?”</p><p>He Tian’s breath caught at that. How did this fucking red head read him so well? He reached in his pocket for another cigarette, thankful that his hands weren’t shaking. “Just admiring it,” he lied with an ease he didn’t feel. “You should take Zhengxi up on his offer to bandage you.”</p><p>The red head grimaced at He Tian’s response and reached over to grab his shirt from the table. “It makes me sick to my stomach when people try to give out both the sickness and the cure. I’d rather bleed out, thanks.”</p><p>The red head’s response made something twist in He Tian’s stomach. An honest gangster, he thought faintly. What a laughable idea.</p><p>He Tian watched the red head put on his shirt, watched the way he swallowed back his cries of pain as he pulled the shirt over his open wounds.</p><p>“Do you regret it?” He Tian asked softly. “Playing the hero?”</p><p>The red head pulled his sweater over his hand and wiped the blood on his face with his sleeve. It smeared up into a rather macabre smile. His eyes, when he met He Tian’s was all fire and disgust – as if the mere sight of He Tian sickened him. “You say a lot of weird shit, boss,” the red head answered slowly. “You saw the idiot. You think he could’ve survived this?”</p><p>The questions startled a short laugh out of He Tian. “Are you going to take all of his punishments then?” he asked mockingly.</p><p>The red head just stared back at him with those strange eyes of his for long second, and He Tian got the faint impression that the red head thought that He Tian was dumber than chicken shit. “What’s it to you, boss?” he asked finally.</p><p>That startled another laugh out of He Tian. “You’re right,” he conceded, grinning. “It isn’t anything to me at all.”</p><p>The red head stared at He Tian for another second before turning to the exit. He took a few jerky steps, as if it was taking all he had to just stay upright.</p><p>Zhengxi reached out a caught his arm again, “I’ll help you out,” he said.</p><p>The red head knocked his hand away again, his face twisted in disgust as he glared at Zhengxi. “Don’t fucking touch me.”</p><p>He Tian took a drag of his cigarette, trying to settle the churning in his stomach. “Let him be, Zhengxi,” he said. “There’s no sense in helping an idiot that refuses it.”</p><p>Zhengxi turned to stare at He Tian with those dark, judge-y eyes of his. He didn’t say anything, but He Tian could tell that Zhengxi was upset with him.</p><p>Zhengxi walked the red head to the exit, not touching him, but ready to catch him if he fell.</p><p>“Red!” the blonde’s voice rang out as the red head reached the door.</p><p>He Tian watched the blonde take the red head’s arm and throw it over his shoulder, taking on some of the red head’s weight.</p><p>“Red,” the blonde said again, his voice thick with tears. “You chicken shit for brains. It was my punishment.”</p><p>“Shut the fuck up,” He Tian heard the red head growl. “Why are you even crying? I’m the one who got beaten the shit out of.”</p><p>He Tian watched them shuffle out of sight. What an annoying night, he thought, taking a deep drag of his cigarette. He hated paying back favors for his brother.</p><p>Zhengxi stood by the door, watching the duo leave for a while longer, before he made his way next to He Tian. He Tian silently passed him a cigarette.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have done that,” Zhengxi said, lighting his cigarette.</p><p>“My brother would have done worse if I didn’t do anything,” He Tian replied, feeling the truth of that settle unpleasantly in his stomach. “How’s your chest?”</p><p>“Better than that red head’s back,” Zhengxi answered, rubbing at his wound absently.</p><p>They smoked in silence, He Cheng’s men talking quietly in the corners of the room.</p><p>“I hope this is the last favor we repay to your brother,” Zhengxi said with a sigh.</p><p>He Tian’s eyes narrowed at that. “I’ll try to keep myself out of trouble.” He felt Zhengxi’s eyes on him, examining him.</p><p>Zhengxi had been He Tian’s only friend since they were kids. Zhengxi was the only one who knew about He Tian’s family and their… unsavory businesses. He Tian hated his family’s business – hated that they had to live and operate in the shadows. Hated the violence of it all… Or at least he desperately wanted to.</p><p><em>“I think there’s a part of you that chases the violence,”</em> Zhengxi had said to him once and He Tian had gotten mad at that. Had gotten mad because it rang true… and he didn’t want it to.</p><p>He felt the heaviness of Zhengxi’s gaze on him. He wondered if Zhengxi was reminded tonight of He Tian’s darkness. Of the evil inside of him that he tried so hard to ignore.</p><p>“The red head,” Zhengxi said suddenly, breaking the heavy silence. “He’s a strange one.”</p><p>He Tian turned to look at the wall that was splattered with the red head’s blood. Some of He Cheng’s men were already scrubbing it down. “Why do you say that?” he asked, as if he wasn’t thinking the same.</p><p>“He didn’t make any noise,” Zhengxi answered, taking a long drag of his cigarette. “He was getting the shit beat out of him and he didn’t make a sound.”</p><p>He Tian’s stomach clenched strangely at that. The red head hadn’t cried out? How many times had he been beaten to learn how to hold it in? He Tian wondered, vaguely unsettled by the idea.</p><p>“By the looks of him, I guess he’s used to beatings,” Zhengxi muttered, unknowingly reflecting He Tian’s thoughts.</p><p>“I guess,” He Tian agreed nonchalantly. “Still don’t understand why he volunteered.”</p><p>“I can sort of understand,” Zhengxi murmured, staring out the door. “The blonde <em>was</em> pretty.”</p><p>He Tian shoved Zhengxi off the table. “Keep your dick in your pants, prince charming.”</p>
<hr/><p>He Tian slammed the packet down in front of He Cheng. “There,” he said, throwing himself into the chair in front of his brother. “Job done, favor repaid.”</p><p>He Cheng calmly picked up the packet and opened it, forever unfazed by He Tian. “I heard Zhengxi got hurt,” he said.</p><p>“Yeah,” He Tian sighed, twirling the chair around. “Some idiot from She Li’s team blew his cover too early.”</p><p>“Hm,” He Cheng hummed. “Did you punish him correctly?”</p><p>“Yeah,” He Tian said meeting his brother’s eyes. “She Li will get the message.”</p><p>“Good,” his brother said. He flipped through the contents of the packet and put it back on the table, apparently satisfied with its contents.</p><p>“Why do you even work with She Li anyway?” He Tian asked, staring up at the ceiling. “He’s a snake.”</p><p>“He’s a snake,” his brother acknowledged, “which is why it’s better to keep him close. It doesn’t hurt that his family owns one of the largest chain of restaurants in Shanghai.”</p><p>He Tian rolled his eyes at his brother’s pretentious response.</p><p>“Besides,” his brother continued. “He takes surprisingly good care of his people. As long as he stays obedient, I’ll let him run his little gang.”</p><p><em>Good care my ass,</em> He Tian thought sarcastically. Thinking of the red head’s abused body. “Do you know of a red head in his group?” He Tian asked flippantly.</p><p>“I know of one,” He Cheng said after a pause. “Why?”</p><p>“No reason,” He Tian said, twirling around in the chair again. “Just never seen him before.”</p><p>“You say that like you do enough jobs to know all of She Li’s men,” He Cheng said dryly.</p><p>“Doing my best to stay out of the family business,” He Tian answered glibly.</p><p>“Hm,” He Cheng hummed. “The only red head I know left She Li’s group years ago.”</p><p>“He left?” He Tian asked. No one left the triad – not without losing something; usually their life.</p><p>“Yes,” He Cheng nodded. “Got out of the group by taking the fall for She Li. Spent two years in prison, the last I heard.”</p><p>“Oh,” He Tian said. “Can’t be the same guy I saw tonight.”</p><p>“Hm,” He Cheng hummed. He stood up, stilling He Tian’s spinning chair with his hand. “Don’t sleep with any of She Li’s men,” he said. “I don’t want you causing trouble with them.”</p><p>He Tian knocked his brother’s hand off his chair. “Me sleeping with someone has never caused trouble,” He Tian replied. “My dick is magic.”</p><p>His brother didn’t respond to that but He Tian heard him let out a deep sigh as he walked out of the room. He Tian flipped him off as his brother walked out, feeling irritated by the ever calm bastard.</p><p>He twirled his chair around and stared up at the ceiling. Why had the red head volunteered to take the punishment, he wondered. He said it wasn’t for love, so was it for friendship? The red head hadn’t seemed like the sentimental type.</p><p><em>“So you recognize yourself as the bad guy?” </em>the red head had asked.</p><p>Was he the bad guy, He Tian wondered. He had grown up by so many ‘bad guys’ that he couldn’t really tell anymore. The red head was in the triad too, he thought. Did he consider himself a bad guy as well?</p><p>He Tian twirled around in the chair until he felt sick, his head involuntarily filled with thoughts of the red head. He stumbled to his room and collapsed into his bed, swallowing back the bile that came with the vertigo.</p><p><em>“Can’t stand to look at your work?” </em>the red head had asked, and He Tian wondered how the red head had been able to read him so well. He had been told his whole life that the one trait he shared with his brother was his cold face – hard to read, with little emotion that crossed it. How had the red head been able to see right through him, he wondered.</p><p>He had been right about everything – the red head. Too right. His questions had cut into He Tian the way only the truth could.</p><p>What an interesting person, He Tian thought, tiredness pulling his eyes closed. He had left without even being bandaged.</p><p>He Tian fell asleep with the thought of what it would have been like to clean the red head’s back. To wrap gauze round his thin waist. To be able to give out something other than pain.</p>
<hr/><p>He Tian was eating a quiet breakfast with his brother when She Li came slinking in.</p><p>He Tian threw down his toast, the mere sight of him enough to make him lose his appetite. Fucking snake, he though viciously.</p><p>“Good morning, big brother, He Tian,” She Li said, looking at them through his grey hair with those snaky yellow eyes of his.</p><p>“Hm,” He Cheng hummed, barely acknowledging She Li’s presence.</p><p>She Li, took a seat next to He Tian. “I got your message last night, He Tian,” She Li said, grinning that oily grin of his, and He Tian felt his stomach churn in disgust. “Very good work.”</p><p>“Zhengxi got hurt last night because of your guy’s mistake,” He Tian said gruffly, not knowing why he felt the reason to explain himself.</p><p>She Li grabbed He Tian’s discarded toast from his plate. “I heard,” he said, biting over where He Tian had bitten. “You made a good example of little red. I’m sure my guys will be more careful next time.”</p><p>He Tian averted his eyes, feeling like he might either throw up or punch She Li in the face.</p><p>“Who is the red head?” He Cheng asked, saving He Tian further conversation with the snaky bastard.</p><p>“You know him, big brother,” She Li answered, turning his head to He Cheng. “He’s the same one from 10 years ago.”</p><p>“I thought he left,” He Cheng said, taking a sip from his mug.</p><p>“Oh, he’s not in the group anymore,” She Li said. “He just asked for one last favor.” She Li turned his slimy gaze back to He Tian. “Little Tian sure gave him a hell of a goodbye.”</p><p>He Tian narrowed his eyes at She Li, feeling his irritation grow at the way She Li was staring at him – as if he knew him. “It looked like you gave him one too,” He Tian said, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.</p><p>She Li’s grin widened at that, his eyes growing wide in a way that struck He Tian as perverted. “I like the way he looks when he’s miserable,” She Li said, smiling widely. “Doesn’t he look so pretty when he’s in pain?”</p><p>He Tian stood up, unable to stand She Li’s closeness – his nastiness. “You need to go see a psychologist,” he said, scowling in disgust.</p><p>She Li, the gross bastard, seemed delighted by He Tian’s reaction. “It’s a shame he wants to leave me so badly,” he said, unfazed by He Tian’s disgust. “But I’ll let him leave the group if he wants to.”</p><p>He Tian felt a shudder go up his spine at that. He heard She Li’s hidden threat. The red head could leave the group, but he wouldn’t be able to escape She Li.</p><p>“Yeah, whatever,” He Tian said, walking out of the dining room. Men like She Li were the worst the triad had to offer, He Tian thought. She Li didn’t even want money or power – his family’s business already gave him plenty of that – he just liked bringing people pain.</p><p>His brother was right though, he thought. She Li took care of his men. The red head was the first of She Li’s men He Tian had seen so beat up. Well, he thought, he guessed the red head wasn’t technically one of She Li’s men anymore. A favor, She Li had said. He Tian wondered what the favor was. What had the red head wanted so badly that he reentered She Li’s folds even for one night?</p><p>He Tian got into his car and called Zhengxi.</p><p>“What?” Zhengxi answered, his voice thick with sleep.</p><p>“How’s your chest?” He Tian asked.</p><p>“It was fine before you called and woke me up.”</p><p>“Mn,” He Tian hummed, unfazed by Zhengxi’s bad mood. “I’ll treat you to dinner tonight.”</p><p>“Fine,” Zhengxi sighed. “I’m picking somewhere with lots of meat – I need protein to recuperate.”</p><p>“Whatever you want, master Zhengxi,” He Tian said.</p><p>“You going back to your place?” Zhengxi asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” He Tian confirmed. “She Li came over and you know how creepy that fucker is. Couldn’t stand being in the same room as him.” In truth, he couldn’t stand to be at his brother’s place any longer. He had crashed the night there – too tired to go back home – but being their too long brought up too many bad memories.</p><p>“I’ll come over later,” Zhengxi said, his words rolling together as he slowly fell back asleep.</p><p>“Mn,” He Tian acknowledged before hanging up.</p><p>He drove down the mountain and onto the main road. It was still pretty early; the roads weren’t too crowded. Maybe he could get an office job, he mused. Work a regular 9 to 5 like everyone else and cut ties with his father and his brother and their dark world.</p><p><em>“Oh, he’s out,” </em>She Li had said about the red head, and He Tian couldn’t help the sharp jealousy that ran through him at that. It wasn’t easy getting out of the triad – He Tian knew first hand. Even if you got out with your life, the sticky dark fingers of society’s underbelly had a way of pulling you back in. He guessed the red head knew that too, if what She Li had said was true. Maybe he’d see the red head again, he mused. Maybe he’d need another favor from She Li down the line.</p><p>He lit a cigarette, he was creeping himself out with his incessant thinking of the red head. He wasn’t a fucking pervert like She Li – even though the red head was pretty… with those sharp features and pale skin and slim hips…</p><p>Anyway, he wasn’t a pervert. The red head had just been the first interesting person He Tian had met in a while; respectfully calling him boss while saying the most disrespectful things He Tian had heard in a while.</p><p>It had been… refreshing.</p><p>No one called He Tian out on his shit. His father and his brother couldn’t give a fuck if they tried, and everyone else was too frightened of who he was to say anything. Zhengxi would sometimes say something if he could be bothered to, but mostly he was just resigned to the piece of shit He Tian embraced himself as. He Tian guessed that that was what 12 years of friendship did to a person.</p><p>He put the window down and blew smoke outside. He wondered if the red head was okay. There had been so much blood and He Tian’s fingers still tingled from the force of the paddle. Who had taken him home? Had anyone taken care of him? Was he in some hospital bed right now?</p><p>He Tian was suddenly reminded of what the red head had said last night, <em>“What’s it to you, boss?”</em></p><p>It drew a laugh out of him. What <em>was</em> it to him? He wondered.</p><p>The red head was right.</p><p>It wasn’t anything to him at all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He Tian collapsed into his bed as soon as he got home. He never slept well at his brother’s place and he felt the exhaustion of yesterday weigh heavily on him.</p><p>He barely kicked off his pants before sleep pulled him under.</p><p>Everything was red.</p><p>The walls, the floor, the ceiling – everything. And it was He Tian’s fault.</p><p>He looked down at his hands. Red flowed out of them like a fountain. He rubbed at them frantically, trying to stop the flow, but it only seemed to make the stream of red stronger.</p><p>“Fuck, fuck,” he said. He brought his hands to his chest, trying to staunch the stream with his shirt, but the red just bounced off him. He was the only non-red thing in the room, he realized. The red didn’t stain him.</p><p>“You can’t,” a voice said beside him. He Tian turned. It was Zhengxi… and he was covered in red.</p><p>“You can’t hurt yourself,” Zhengxi said, red dripping into his mouth. “Nothing ever touches you. You have to get someone else to suffer instead.”</p><p>“No, no, no!” He Tian screamed, grabbing Zhengxi with his red hands.</p><p>“See?” Zhengxi asked, grinning. Blood spilled from his mouth. “See how I bleed? It’s for you. It’s for you.”</p><p>He Tian let Zhengxi go and stepped backwards – suddenly terrified of this Zhengxi and his crazed, bloody smile. “No,” he said weakly. “It’s not like that.”</p><p>Zhengxi stared at him wide-eyed – even his eyes were bleeding now. Bloody tears streaming down his face.</p><p>“What’s it like, He Tian?” Zhengxi asked. “Red wants to know; aren’t you the bad guy?”</p><p>He Tian stepped backwards, away from Zhengxi. “I’m not,” he said desperately. “I- I- I just did what I had to do.”</p><p>Something caught his feet then and he stumbled backwards, landing rather gently on his ass. He looked at what had caused him to trip.</p><p>It was the red head.</p><p>He was lying in the puddle of red, dead eyes looking at He Tian.</p><p>“Aren’t you the bad guy?” Zhengxi asked.</p><p>“No,” He Tian breathed out, unable to break eye contact with the dead red head. “He wasn’t supposed to die.” He reached out to touch the red head but his bloody hands just stained him more.</p><p>The red head’s hand caught his as they retreated. “What was I supposed to do?” the red head asked, blood flowing out his mouth like a stream. He turned his neck in a way that was not humanly possible and looked at He Tian with both dead eyes. “Tell me, boss. What was I supposed to do?”</p><p>He Tian woke with a gasp. “Fuck,” he gasped, shaking. He sat up and ran a shaking hand over his hair – it was matted with cold sweat. “Fuck.”</p><p>“You okay?” a voice asked, startling He Tian.</p><p>“Fuck!” he cried out, flinching away from the voice. He looked up. Zhengxi stared down at him with his bored eyes.</p><p>“Fucking warn a person next time,” He Tian gasped, taking a deep breath.</p><p>“Hm,” Zhengxi hummed. He threw He Tian a bottle of water. “I told you I’d be over.”</p><p>He Tian took a long gulp of water, feeling it settle inside him and make him feel real again. “Yeah,” he mumbled. “I guess you did, you creepy bastard.”</p><p>“If you want to see a creepy bastard, I can call She Li for you,” Zhengxi replied, taking a seat on He Tian’s bed.</p><p>“Fuck you,” He Tian grumbled. “Don’t even joke about such scary things.”</p><p>He Tian took another gulp of water and tried to take a couple of deep breaths – his heart beat was still galloping. What a fucking crazy nightmare, he thought. He glanced at Zhengxi, lounging on his bed.</p><p>“Your chest okay?” he asked indifferently.</p><p>“Yeah,” Zhengxi answered, rubbing his wound as if it had already become a habit. “I have a bigger problem than this wound.”</p><p>“What?” He Tian asked, feeling a nervous tingling in his spine.</p><p>“I’m fucking starving. Can’t wait for dinner. Feed me now.”</p><p>He Tian hurled a pillow at Zhengxi. “You fucking deadbeat,” he grumbled. “It’s good manners to bring something when you’re visiting someone’s house.”</p><p>Zhengxi infuriating caught the pillow and stuffed it behind his head. “Good manners would be wasted on you.”</p><p>He Tian sighed and got off the bed. “Let me take a shower, and we can pick up something quick from the convenience store.”</p><p>“Hm,” Zhengxi acknowledged.<br/>
<br/>
Ungrateful bastard, He Tian thought uncharitably. He needed new friends – nicer friends.</p><p>He stepped into the shower, turning up the water hot enough that it hurt. He stood there for a bit, letting the hot water wash away his sweat and the lingering unpleasantness from his dream.</p><p>He scrubbed his face and his hair, trying to get those dead eyes out of his head.</p><p>
  <em>“What was I supposed to do?”</em>
</p><p>A shudder went up He Tian’s spine. What a horrific dream, he thought. His hands tingled hot and cold, as if they might really start shooting red.</p><p>“I’m going fucking crazy,” he mumbled to himself, scrubbing his hands together. “It was just a dream.”</p><p>His hands were scrubbed raw by the time he came out of the shower.</p><p>“Took you long enough,” Zhengxi said when he got out. “I almost starved to death waiting for you.”</p><p>“My apologies master Zhengxi,” He Tian said mockingly. “I know you don’t understand it, but I enjoy being clean.” He dried his hair with the towel and threw it at Zhengxi’s face.</p><p>“Clean,” He Tian repeated. “Do you know what that means?”</p><p>Zhengxi easily caught the towel and hurled it back at He Tian. The towel slapped He Tian on the chest before falling to the floor. “Hungry,” Zhengxi replied. “Do you know what that means?”</p><p>Like He Tian said, he needed new friends.</p><p>They walked out of the apartment building together.</p><p>“Just eat something small,” He Tian ordered. “I still want to eat something good tonight.”</p><p>“Hm,” Zhengxi replied, walking into the convenience store.</p><p>He Tian followed behind Zhengxi as he threw cups of ramen into his basket, and sandwiches, and sausages, and cookies.</p><p>“I said small,” He Tian complained. They walked by the pharmacy section when blonde hair caught He Tian’s eye.</p><p>“Blondie!” he cried out, dragging Zhengxi towards the blonde.</p><p>The blonde turned and visibly paled when he saw them. He dropped his basket of things and started to run the other way but He Tian caught him by the hood of his sweater.</p><p>“Ah!” the blonde screamed. “Auntie help me! An evil man has caught me.”</p><p>He Tian turned to the shop lady and gave her a sweet smile. “My friend is quite funny,” he said.</p><p>She chuckled at them, charmed. “Tell your friend to keep it down,” she said fondly.</p><p>He Tian pulled the blonde close towards him. “You heard the lady, blondie,” he whispered. “Keep it down.”</p><p>The blonde audibly gulped and turned slowly to face He Tian, his hood still in He Tian’s hand. “You’re an evil, evil man,” he whispered. “Now let me go!”</p><p>He Tian smiled at the blonde benevolently. “I don’t want to.”</p><p>Beside him, he heard Zhengxi sigh. He pulled the blonde’s hood from He Tian’s grip and picked up the abandoned basket and handed it to the blonde. “Finish your shopping,” Zhengxi told the blonde. “We won’t bother you.”</p><p>The blonde took the basket from Zhengxi and stared at him suspiciously. “Are you guys following me?”</p><p>He Tian laughed at that. “Not following you,” he answered. “It’s fate that brought us back together, blondie.”</p><p>“Do evil people believe in fate?” the blonde asked, side eyeing He Tian as if he grossed him out. “Never mind, I don’t care,” he said before He Tian could reply. He slowly stepped backwards, away from He Tian and Zhengxi, making a cross with his fingers. “Stay away from me.”</p><p>Did he think they were vampires or something? He Tian wondered, weirded out by the blonde’s strange actions. He grabbed the blonde’s basket and pulled him back towards them. “Don’t be so cold,” he said grinning. “What are you buying?”</p><p>The contents of the blonde’s basket sobered He Tian. It was full of gauze, wrapping cloth, and medicine.</p><p>He looked at the blonde. “You taking care of the red head?” he asked.</p><p>The blonde narrowed his eyes at him. “What’s it to you?”</p><p>He Tian took the blonde’s basket from him and threw in some more ointments and band aids. He walked past the frozen blonde to the freezer section and threw in some sweet pumpkin congee. “Sweet pumpkin is good for bruises,” he explained.</p><p>He walked towards the counter, picking up a packet of electrolyte mix, and set the basket on the counter.</p><p>“What are you doing?” the blonde asked suspiciously.</p><p>“Make sure he drinks a lot of water. Healing from injuries like that dehydrates you more than you think.” He Tian said instead of answering the blonde’s question.</p><p>He Tian paid for the items and handed the plastic bags to the blonde.</p><p>The blonde took them slowly, eyeing He Tian like maybe He Tian had gone crazy. “You didn’t put a tracker or something in this bag, did you?” he asked, going through its contents.</p><p>Zhengxi sighed behind him and patted the blonde on his head as if he were a dog. “Isn’t it tiring being so suspicious?” he asked, and He Tian thought his voice sounded suspiciously affectionate.</p><p>The blonde flinched at Zhengxi’s touch and turned to glare at him. “I’m always suspicious in the face of evil,” he said seriously.</p><p>He Tian rolled his eyes at that. What was up with this kid and evil? Did he think he was in a superhero movie or something?</p><p>The blonde rifled through the plastic bags for another few seconds before he looked up at He Tian, satisfied that there wasn’t a tracker in there. “I will take this offering into consideration,” he said solemnly. And then without warning he made a mad dash out of the store.</p><p>He Tian stared at the blonde’s retreating back for a stunned second before turning to look at Zhengxi. “What the fuck?” he breathed. “What a fucking weirdo.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Zhengxi answered, but there was something that looked suspiciously like a smile on his lips.</p><p>He Tian smacked Zhengxi upside the head. “Keep your dick in your pants,” he murmured, grossed out by Zhengxi. He took the basket from Zhengxi’s hands and placed it on the counter. “This is for us, auntie.”</p><p>“What a nice boy you are,” she said. “Buying medicine and food for your friends.”</p><p>He Tian smiled at her sweetly. “You view me too nicely, auntie,” he said, feigning embarrassment.</p><p>Zhengxi heaved in disgust beside him. “The blonde might be a weirdo,” he whispered. “But he’s right about you being evil.”</p><p>He Tian stomped on Zhengxi’s foot, still smiling at the shop keeper as she scanned their items. “You should be nicer to the person buying you food,” he said sweetly.</p><p>“Pure evil,” Zhengxi groaned, rubbing his foot.</p><p>They ended up gorging themselves on convenience food on He Tian’s couch.</p><p>“Ugh,” He Tian moaned, holding his stomach. “I told you something small.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Zhengxi growled, holding his own stomach in pain. “No one forced you to eat it.”</p><p>“I can’t help myself if it’s in front of me,” He Tian complained, shooting a glare to Zhengxi.</p><p>“Sounds like a personal problem,” Zhengxi replied.</p><p>He Tian kicked Zhengxi where he sat on the other end of the couch but his foot just ended up on Zhengxi’s lap. “You’re the evil one,” he said petulantly. “I wanted to treat you to a nice meal for your troubles and you’ve fed me all this poison.”</p><p>Zhengxi pushed He Tian’s foot off his lap. “Rain check on the meal,” he said sighing. “I can’t eat anything else today.”</p><p>“Oh, of course, master Zhengxi,” He Tian said mockingly. “Everything to your schedule, of course.”</p><p>Zhengxi huffed a laugh at that. “Now you get it,” he said smirking.</p><p>He Tian threw a throw pillow at him. “You’re so annoying.”</p><p>Zhengxi caught the pillow easily and put it under his head. Annoying, He Tian thought.</p><p>They watched the television in silence for a while – some Chinese drama about two magic guys solving the mystery of something.</p><p>‘They’re definitely gay,” He Tian said after a while.</p><p>“If you say so,” Zhengxi hummed lazily, his eyes already half-closed. “Gay recognizes gay.”</p><p>He Tian snorted a laugh at that. “Who was the one making heart eyes at the blonde earlier?” he asked pointedly.</p><p>“Appreciating beauty is not gay,” Zhengxi said, yawning. “A pretty face is a pretty face.”</p><p>“Whatever,” He Tian said with a wave of his hand. “Seems pretty fucking gay to me.”</p><p>“Hm,” Zhengxi hummed. He turned to lay on the couch, throwing his legs on He Tian’s lap. “You think him and the red head are a thing?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep.</p><p>“The red head said he’d rather die,” He Tian snorted. “So I think not.”</p><p><br/>
“Hm,” Zhengxi hummed, closing his eyes completely. “The red head obviously doesn’t have any taste,” he murmured.</p><p>“Maybe he’s not gay,” He Tian mused. He Tian was answered by Zhengxi’s snore.</p><p>He Tian looked at Zhengxi, passed out on his couch, small mountains of wrappers and trash surrounded them. He was the only friend He Tian had in the world. If he had been in the red head’s situation, would he have volunteered to take Zhengxi’s punishment?</p><p>It was easy to say yes in theory, when the danger of pain was not an immediate option. But could He Tian have spoken up in that situation?</p><p>He couldn’t answer in a way that felt true to him.</p><p>He let his head fall back against the couch with a sigh. Why had the red head volunteered, he wondered. He just couldn’t understand it.</p><p><em>“What was I supposed to do?”</em> the red head from his nightmare had asked him.</p><p>Save yourself, He Tian answered too late. He Tian had wanted the red head to save himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a week later that He Tian was walking down main street with Zhengxi. It was late and street was crowded with people.</p><p>“It should be close-by,” He Tian said, looking at the map on his phone. “It just opened like a month ago.”</p><p>“You just chose this place ‘cause it’s close to your apartment,” Zhengxi grumbled next to him. “Don’t think I don’t know.”</p><p>“Shut up, it’ll be good,” He Tian hushed. Maybe Zhengxi was right, but a meal was a meal, it shouldn’t matter how close or far the restaurant was. He continued walking forward, staring down at the map. It should be right here…</p><p>He stopped. “What the fuck,” Zhengxi said, bumping to a stop behind him.</p><p>He Tian looked up.</p><p>The red head sat smoking on the railing in front of the restaurant looked down at him. His eyes widened in recognition.</p><p>“What the fuck are you doing here?” he asked He Tian, his hand frozen in front of his face, the cigarette dangling precariously in his fingers.</p><p>“This is a public space, red,” Zhengxi said, recovering from his shock faster than He Tian. “We’re just here to eat.”</p><p>The red head brought his cigarette back to his lips and took a long drag, his eyes narrowing at them. “Jian Yi was right. You are following us,” he muttered.</p><p>“It’s fate,” He Tian said, smiling widely at the red head. “It’s fate that keeps bringing us together.”</p><p>The red head blew his smoke at He Tian and stared at him strangely. He Tian got the sense again that the red head thought he was dumber than chicken shit.</p><p>The red head flicked out his cigarette and jumped down from where he was sat. He opened the door to the restaurant and looked back at them. “Well?” he asked. “You coming in or what?”</p><p>He Tian and Zhengxi just stared at him for a shocked second before nodding. They walked past the red head and into the restaurant.</p><p>“Welcome to – eh, it’s you!” the blonde – Jian Yi, He Tian assumed – cried out, pointing at them.</p><p>The red head walked past them, the door closing behind him with a little chime. “It’s rude to point at our customers, Jian Yi,” he said.</p><p>Jian Yi kept pointing at them, mouth opening and closing in shock. “The- the- they aren’t customers!” he finally exclaimed. “We do not serve evil!”</p><p>The red head walked past Jian Yi and shoved his head affectionately. “Stop saying weird shit and go seat them.”</p><p>Jian Yi watched the red head go into the kitchen and turned back to face He Tian and Zhengxi waiting near the door. “Welcome to Starry Night,” Jian Yi said, pasting an obviously fake smile on his face. “Please let me get you seated.” He directed them to a table near the wall, where they had a clear view of the kitchen. He placed a menu in front of them as they sat down. “Let me know if you have any questions. You’re also free to leave if you see nothing that appeals to your evil taste buds.”</p><p>With that, Jian Yi practically ran into the kitchen.</p><p>This was the third time He Tian had seen him, and he still couldn’t tell if Jian Yi was brave or stupid. He looked at Zhengxi from across the table. “Does his face make up for how dumb he is?” He Tian asked, seriously.</p><p>“He doesn’t seem any dumber than you are,” Zhengxi answered, looking over the menu. “At least he’s pretty.”</p><p>“Hey!” He Tian pouted. “I’m pretty.”</p><p>Zhengxi threw his menu at He Tian’s face. “Don’t make me lose my appetite,” he growled.</p><p>Like He Tian said, he needed new friends.</p><p>He Tian looked around the restaurant – it was… nice. There was something homely about it, something warm. There were small tables littered on the main floor and secluded booths near the walls. The clear fridges near the counter were well stocked with a variety of alcohols.</p><p>It was nice, He Tian thought again, which was why it was surprising that He Tian and Zhengxi were the only customers there. Was it because it was new?</p><p>Jian Yi came back, notepad in hand. “See anything on the menu you’d like?” he asked.</p><p>“We’ll start off with 3 orders of the marinated pork, 2 orders of the fried rice, and an order of the beef stew,” Zhengxi answered, ordering for the both of them. He looked up at He Tian, “That sound like enough to you?”</p><p>He Tian nodded. “Get us a bottle of huangjiu and some bottles of beer,” he added.</p><p>Jian Yi dutifully jotted it all down and grabbed their menus off the table. “Coming right up,” he said, running back to the kitchen.</p><p>Zhengxi caught He Tian’s eye from across the table. “Is this one of She Li’s places?” he asked.</p><p>“No,” He Tian answered. “Why?”</p><p>“Just wondering,” Zhengxi shrugged. “I didn’t know triad members had side jobs.”</p><p>He Tian rested his face on his hand. “The red head’s not in the triad,” he said. “I don’t know about the blonde though.”</p><p>“He’s not?” Zhengxi asked. “Then what was he doing that night?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” He Tian answered honestly. “She Li said the red head had asked for some sort of favor.”</p><p>“Huh,” Zhengxi sighed, crossing his arms. “Like I said before; what a strange guy.”</p><p>“Yeah,” He Tian agreed absently. He could see the red head through the kitchen window. He had a cap on in the kitchen, and it looked like he was cooking.</p><p>Should he be working like this? He Tian wondered. It had only been a week since that night – there was no way that he was completely healed from that.</p><p>He Tian watched the red head’s face as he cooked. Watched as the fire from the pan lightened his face. It was probably hot in the kitchen, he thought. The heat probably wasn’t good for his injuries.</p><p>A hand in his periphery broke his train of thought.</p><p>“Here’s your drinks,” Jian Yi said, placing down cold bottles of alcohol. He put a chilled glass in front of each man. “Your food will be up soon.”</p><p>He Tian grabbed him before he could walk off. “A pretty bare bones operation you have going on here,” he said, smiling. “Is it just you and the red head?”</p><p>Jian Yi tugged himself out of He Tian’s grasp and narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. “Doesn’t seem like anything you need to know,” he said, turning his nose up.</p><p>He Tian sighed – he wasn’t used to such hostility from people who weren’t Zhengxi.</p><p>“Don’t mind him,” Zhengxi said to Jian Yi. “That’s just his roundabout way of asking if the red head’s alright.”</p><p>“Of course he’s not alright!” Jian Yi exclaimed, scowling at Zhengxi. “Your evil friend beat his back into a huge mess!”</p><p>He Tian felt something hot and angry go through him at Jian Yi’s answer. “So why the fuck did –“</p><p>The red head’s voice interrupted He Tian. “Jian Yi!” he yelled through the kitchen window. “Food’s ready.”</p><p>Jian Yi ran off towards the kitchen and Zhengxi kicked He Tian under the table. “Don’t cause trouble,” Zhengxi said softly.</p><p>He Tian stuck his tongue out at Zhengxi petulantly. “I just want to know why that idiot volunteered,” he whispered back.</p><p>Jian Yi came back with the food, placing hot plates of steaming meat and rice in front of them. The red head came up behind him and placed a hot bowl of stew in the middle of their table.</p><p>“Careful of the bowl,” he said. “It’s hot.”</p><p>“So kind, red,” He Tian said, smiling at the red head. “Are you worried we might burn ourselves?”</p><p>The red head gave He Tian a look of disgust. “I take it back,” he said. “Don’t be careful. Touch the bowl all you want.”</p><p>“So mean!” He Tian complained, but the red head ignored him and went behind the counter with Jian Yi.</p><p>He Tian turned to focus on the food in front of him. It looked good, he admitted, and the smell – it was divine. He picked up his spoon and spooned up some of the stew. He blew on it a couple of times before he put it into his mouth, taking heed of the red head’s warning.</p><p>It was good. <em>Really</em> good.</p><p>He looked at Zhengxi who had also taken a spoonful of the stew. “It’s good,” Zhengxi said slowly.</p><p>“I told you, it’d be good,” He Tian said smugly.</p><p>Zhengxi rolled his eyes and began to eat. He Tian did the same, shoveling spoonfuls of fluffy rice and spicy, sweet pork into his mouth.</p><p>Everything was good, He Tian thought. So much better than the instant food from the convenience store or the sloppily made food from the chain restaurants. Why wasn’t this place packed?</p><p>Once he and Zhengxi had cleared all the plates, he sat back and opened a bottle of beer. “That more than made up for your injury last week, yeah?” he asked Zhengxi, swallowing back a burp.</p><p>“If you buy again tomorrow, I’ll think about it,” Zhengxi said, raising his glass for He Tian to fill.</p><p>“You’re a con artist,” He Tian said, smirking. “But I wouldn’t mind coming back here.” He looked up at the counter where the red head and Jian Yi stood.</p><p>“You’re such a good cook, red,” he said, grinning. “Wouldn’t have thought you’d be so good with your hands.”</p><p>The red head scowled at him. “Leave if you’re done with your food.”</p><p>He Tian raised his glass at him. “I’m not done,” he said. “Come join us for drinks.”</p><p>“We’re working,” Jian Yi answered for the red head, moving in front of the red head protectively.</p><p>He Tian looked around the empty restaurant. “Doesn’t look like you have much to work on,” He Tian said. He glanced at the clock, it was almost midnight. “Come on,” he coaxed. “Fate brought us all back together.”</p><p>The red head huffed a small laugh at that. “You can take that fate and shove it up your ass,” he said.</p><p>Feisty, He Tian thought.</p><p>“If you join us, I’ll buy a bottle of the most expensive thing you got back there,” He Tian said. He didn’t know why he wanted to talk to the red head so desperately – all he knew was that he wanted to. He wanted the red head’s attention on him. Wanted him to answer He Tian’s questions.</p><p>The red head just gave him the finger at his offer at a bottle. “Okay, five bottles then,” He Tian said.</p><p>The red head turned at his offer. “Okay,” he said, and he pushed Jian Yi out the counter. “Go on, Jian Yi,” the red head said. “You’re definitely worth five bottles.”</p><p>Jian Yi pouted at the red head as if betrayed. “Can’t believe you’re selling me,” he cried, but he made his way over to their table and sat down.</p><p>“You too, red,” He Tian said.</p><p>“Nuh uh,” the red head said, shaking his head. “Jian Yi is all you’re getting for five bottles.”</p><p>He Tian grinned at that. “Okay, how many bottles do I have to buy to get you to sit down with me?”</p><p>The red head seemed to consider this. “Ten,” he said flippantly, as if he knew that He Tian would refuse that number.</p><p>“Okay,” He Tian agreed. “15 bottles.”</p><p>The red head’s eyes went wide at that. “You don’t even know how much each bottle is,” the red head said.</p><p>“Doesn’t matter,” He Tian replied. “I promise to pay, so sit down.” He pulled a chair back invitingly.</p><p>The red head stared at He Tian for a shocked moment, before shaking his head. “Fine,” he sighed. He grabbed two glasses from behind the counter before walking over.</p><p>“You two sure are some troublesome customers,” the red head grumbled as he sat down. He passed a glass to Jian Yi and opened a bottle on the table.</p><p>Jian Yi reached across the table and grabbed the bottle out of the red head’s hands. “No drinking for you,” he said.</p><p>“Why?” He Tian asked, grabbing another bottle of beer.</p><p>Jian Yi turned to look at He Tian as if he were an idiot. “He’s on pain meds, evil boy,” he explained slowly. “Pain meds and alcohol is a no-no.”</p><p>The red head grabbed the bottle back out of Jian Yi’s hands. “Shut up,” he growled. “I took them in the morning. Some beer won’t hurt me.”</p><p>He Tian watched the red head pour beer into his glass, suddenly regretting his decision to ask him to drink with them. What was it about the red head that always made He Tian regret his choices?</p><p>“You don’t have to drink with us,” He Tian said softly. “I’ll buy the 15 bottles, even if you don’t drink with us.”</p><p>The red head took a long drink of his beer and slammed his glass down on the table. “What?” he asked He Tian mockingly. “You feel bad or something?”</p><p>He Tian felt hot embarrassment in his stomach at the red head’s words. “No,” he lied. “Why would I feel bad?” How was the red head so good at reading him, He Tian wondered, feeling shame twist his stomach.</p><p>The red head looked at He Tian appraisingly for a second before smirking. “Good,” he said. “You shouldn’t.”</p><p>What? He Tian thought.</p><p>“What do you mean he shouldn’t feel bad!?” Jian Yi exclaimed beside him. “Of course he should feel bad! Your back is a mess!”</p><p>The red head reached in his apron pocket and pulled out a cigarette. “My back’s fine,” he said, lighting his cigarette. “Anyway, it’s all ‘cause your stupid mistake anyway.”</p><p>Jian Yi sighed and rolled his eyes as if he had already had this fight before. “Yeah, your back is ‘fine,’” he said, putting air quotes around ‘fine,’ “if ‘fine’ means bleeding every time you so much as bend down the wrong way.”</p><p>He Tian’s stomach clenched at that. Was he still bleeding? He looked at the red head, the way he sat on the edge of his chair, keeping his back off the back of the chair.</p><p>The red head rolled his eyes this time. “Shut up,” he said blowing smoke at Jian Yi’s face. “You’re going to make our customers sick – talking about that stuff.”</p><p>Jian Yi waved the smoke away, coughing. “Also,” he continued. “How was I supposed to know that guy would be there?” he asked, “She Li didn’t tell us that he’d be there. If I’d known, then I would have covered my face or something.”</p><p>“What guy?” Zhengxi asked, handing Jian Yi a cup of water.</p><p>“The guy!” Jian Yi answered, taking the water from Zhengxi. “The guy that stabbed you.”</p><p>“He knew you?” Zhengxi asked, eyes narrowing. He Tian’s eyes narrowed as well. If She Li had known that someone from the other side had known one his guys but hadn’t told them… that snake!</p><p>“Yeah!” Jian Yi answered, nodding excitedly, “He was hired –“</p><p>“Jian Yi!” the red head said sharply, scowling, “Shut. Up.”</p><p>Jian Yi looked at the red head for a quiet second before nodding. “Never mind,” he said. “Forget I said anything.”</p><p>“No,” He Tian crooned sweetly. “I don’t mind, Jian Yi. Go on.”</p><p>Jian Yi scooted away from He Tian, to Zhengxi. “Your friend is so scary,” he cried.</p><p>Zhengxi patted him on his shoulder consolingly. “I know,” he said softly.</p><p>Jian Yi looked at Zhengxi. “Oh yeah! How’s your chest?” he asked.</p><p>Zhengxi smiled at him. “It’s fine.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Jian Yi sighed. And was that a blush on his face? He Tian frowned in disgust.</p><p>“Be gross on your own time,” the red head said, unknowingly reflecting He Tian’s thoughts.</p><p>“What!” Jian Yi cried, eyes all innocence.</p><p>What an airhead, He Tian thought. He definitely wasn’t brave; he was just an idiot.</p><p>He Tian turned his attention back on the red head. “She Li tells me you’re out,” He Tian said. “You out of the triad to work as a cook?” Sure, He Tian understood the desire to get out of the triad – but even the triad paid better than a cook at a failing restaurant. The commission the Jian Yi would get from He Tian’s purchases would probably be the most they’d ever make, working here.</p><p>The red head took another drink of his beer, and He Tian definitely didn’t watch the way his adams apple bobbed up and down – definitely didn’t think about what it would be like to lick that long pale neck. “It’s honest work,” the red head said.</p><p>He Tian grinned at that. There it was again – honesty.</p><p>“Besides,” Jian Yi said. “Mo’s not the cook – he’s the owner.”</p><p>What? He Tian thought.</p><p>“This is your restaurant?” He Tian asked, shocked by the revelation.</p><p>The red head – Mo – gave him a strange look. “Yeah,” he said. “What’s it to you?”</p><p>He Tian thought about where the restaurant was – in the middle of a high street. The rent alone would have been tens of thousands of dollars. He Tian knew just about every rich kid in China and He Tian had never seen the red head before. Also, a rich kid who could afford to open a restaurant on the high street didn’t join someone else’s gang…</p><p>“Are you from out of the country?” He Tian asked.</p><p>“No,” Mo answered, as if He Tian was dumber than he thought. “Born and raised in Shanghai.”</p><p>“Who are your parents?” He Tian pressed – he had so many questions.</p><p>“They’re dead,” Mo answered, taking a drag from his cigarette. “You want my whole life story or something?” he asked, scowling. “What’s with all the questions?”</p><p>He Tian sat back in his chair. Dead, huh? Who was this red head, he wondered.</p><p>“You’re interesting,” He Tian admitted. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”</p><p>Mo blanched at that. “You say a lot of gross shit,” he said, scooting away from He Tian.</p><p>He Tian pulled his chair back towards him with a grin. “Don’t say that,” he cooed. “I’m just being honest. You like honesty, don’t you?”</p><p>That seemed to shock a laugh out of Mo – a short, quiet thing, hardly louder than a huff of air – “No offense, but I don’t think you’d know what honest was if it hit you across the face.”</p><p>His response made something twist uncomfortably in He Tian’s stomach.</p><p>He heard Zhengxi laugh. “You’re pretty good at reading people,” he said to Mo.</p><p>“Maybe you two are just easy to read,” Mo replied, swirling his beer in his glass.</p><p>Jian Yi crossed his arms and shook his head sagely, “No, less-evil boy is right,” he said. “You are good at reading people. You knew I needed help, right away!”</p><p>“That’s ‘cause you’re an idiot,” Mo replied, scowling. “You barely graduated high school – how the hell did you believe one of the largest food corporations in this region would hire you.”</p><p>Jian Yi clutched his chest at that – like an idiot. “So cruel, Mo,” he cried, leaning against Zhengxi’s shoulder. “I’m not an idiot,” he sniffed. “How could I have known I was interviewing for the triad – She Li said it was a team player position!”</p><p>He Tian watched Zhengxi pat Jian Yi’s shoulder consolingly. Watched the pleased expression on his friends face. It was gross.</p><p>“How’d Mo help you, Jian Yi?” He Tian asked, smiling sweetly.</p><p>Jian Yi cowed further into Zhengxi. “Your smile is gross,” he said shivering. “And why are you asking? You already know.”</p><p>He Tian frowned at that. What did he know?</p><p>“Mo got me out of She Li’s crew,” Jian Yi said plainly, like it was obvious.</p><p>He Tian spun to look at Mo. That had been the favor? Mo had entered the dark world of the triad and gotten bruised and beaten to save someone else?</p><p>Mo met his eyes and raised a wondering brow. “What?” he grunted.</p><p>“You really do have a hero complex, don’t you?” He Tian asked.</p><p>Mo rolled his eyes and finished the beer in his glass. “I needed someone to work for me,” he said.</p><p>“You can get a lot of people to work for you,” He Tian replied, “There’s a lot easier ways than scouting from the triad.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Mo agreed, “But I knew this idiot from way back. When you own a small business you gotta hire people you trust.”</p><p>“How’d you guys meet?” Zhengxi asked, filling his own glass with beer and liquor.</p><p>“In jail,” Jian Yi answered, blinking his eyes innocently.</p><p>The table was silent for a long minute, digesting that piece of information. It shouldn’t be that surprising, He Tian thought faintly. They were former triad members – what was surprising about a little stint in jail here or there?</p><p>But he looked at Jian Yi, the stupid way he smiled so brightly. He hadn’t seemed like he belonged in the triad when he had been in the triad. He Tian couldn’t imagine him in jail. Couldn’t imagine him doing anything bad enough to land him in jail.</p><p>“The idiot wasn’t an inmate,” Mo said with a roll of his eyes, as if he knew what He Tian was thinking. “He was a youth volunteer.”</p><p>“Oh,” He Tian blinked. That made so much more sense. “But you were an inmate?” he asked, pretending he didn’t already know.</p><p>Mo took another sip of his beer, his cheeks already flushing a surprisingly pretty shade of pink with the alcohol. “Why’re you asking,” he snorted, “You already know.”</p><p>He Tian smiled and snatched Mo’s cigarette from his lips in an attempt to cover his embarrassment at being called out. “Just trying to be polite,” he mumbled, feeling heat in his cheeks.</p><p>Mo watched him, his eyes half-lidded already. He Tian felt a different type of heat under his gaze. The type that reminded him of the sharp lines of Mo’s shoulders, the taper of his waist.</p><p>“No offense,” Mo said, saving He Tian from a fully realized situation. “Never sits right with me when someone from the triad tries to be polite.”</p><p>“We’re not triad,” Zhengxi said, mixing some of the huangjiu with his beer. “But you’re right to be suspicious when He Tian tries to act polite.”</p><p>“He Tian, huh?” Jian Yi murmured, testing the name in his mouth. “Somehow I expected a more evil sounding name.” He looked up at Zhengxi from where he was still slouched in Zhengxi’s arms. “What’s your name, less-evil boy?”</p><p>“His name is prince chicken shit,” He Tian answered as Zhengxi replied with his own name.</p><p>Jian Yi ignored He Tian and tested Zhengxi’s name in his mouth. “Zhan Zhengxi, huh?” he murmured.</p><p>Mo scoffed in disgust and threw a rolled up napkin at Jian Yi. “Stop being gross,” he scowled. “I’m going to fire you if you fuck a customer.”</p><p>Jian Yi turned bright red and sat up out of Zhengxi’s arms. “Shut up!” he hissed. “I don’t sleep with evil.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Zhengxi said, putting a hand on Jian Yi’s shoulder. “I’m not evil.</p><p>If possible, Jian Yi turned even more red, staring at Zhengxi with his mouth open.</p><p>He Tian threw his head back and laughed, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. His stomach full of good food and alcohol and the company better than he could have imagined.</p><p>Mo was staring at him when his laughter tapered down, something open and surprised in his eyes. “What?” He Tian asked, laughter still on his lips.</p><p>Mo seem surprised by the question, his eyes widening just that little bit before he turned his face away. He Tian thought he saw a blush but he couldn’t tell if that was from the alcohol or not. Mo rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “The alcohol must be getting to me,” he mumbled. He stood up abruptly. “I’m going to take a smoke outside. Jian Yi, you handle the payment for them.”</p><p>He Tian watched Mo walk outside. He wanted to follow. He considered his options for a second or two before he threw his card down on the table. “Pay with this,” he said to Zhengxi as he stood up.</p><p>It was brisk outside, the way summer nights cooled right as fall started. It felt good on his alcohol heated skin. Mo was sat on the railing outside the restaurant again, his broad shouldered silhouette painting a rather lonely picture next to the hustle and bustle of the busy main street.</p><p>He Tian sat next to him on the railing, lighting his own cigarette.</p><p>“Came out here ‘cause I wanted to be alone if you couldn’t tell,” Mo said, looking away from He Tian.</p><p>“Came out here ‘cause I wanted to keep you company if you couldn’t tell,” He Tian replied blithely.</p><p>“You here on She Li’s orders or something?” Mo asked, something in his voice resigned and defeated.</p><p>His question made something hot and angry go through He Tian. He gripped Mo’s face with his hand and turned it so that if faced He Tian directly. “Like Zhengxi told you, I’m not in the triad,” he growled out, “and even if I was, She Li is the last person I’d take orders from.”</p><p>Mo stared at He Tian for a shocked second before tearing his face out of He Tian’s hand. “What a shame,” he said bitingly, “you’ve got a talent for violence.”</p><p>Shame doused He Tian’s anger. He took a drag of his cigarette and let out the smoke with a sigh. “I shouldn’t have grabbed you,” he said after a bout of silence. “Sorry.”</p><p>Mo huffed a laugh at He Tian’s apology. “You feel better?” he asked meanly. “It must be hard for you – having to hide that part of yourself; pretending to be normal.”</p><p>He Tian stared at Mo, feeling split open. How could he read him so well, He Tian thought blankly. How could he know all that? He had only met He Tian twice now. “How do you know that?” he asked.</p><p>“Like I said before, you’re not the only sadistic bastard I’ve met,” Mo answered.</p><p>“I’m not like She Li,” He Tian said, and he wasn’t sure if he was saying it or asking it. He didn’t want to be like that bastard – he didn’t want to be anything like him at all.</p><p>“No, you’re not,” Mo agreed easily, “You guys are different species but you both are predators.”</p><p>He Tian took another drag of his cigarette and considered Mo’s answer. He guessed he could see what Mo was saying. There were parts he would have to acknowledge – even if he didn’t like it.</p><p>“So is that why you can read me so well?” He Tian asked finally, “Because you’re a predator too?”</p><p>Mo laughed at that, something surprised and real. “No,” he said, “I’m not a predator. If I was a predator, I wouldn’t have to read you at all – predators don’t worry about other predators.”</p><p>“So you’re prey?” He Tian asked, curious.</p><p>Mo huffed another laugh at that. “Nah,” he sighed, “I’m something else.”</p><p>“What are you?” He Tian asked, scooting closer to Mo. “’Cause you seem plenty dangerous to me.”</p><p>Mo watched him from the corner of his eye and He Tian had the urge to grab his face again, grab his face and bring him close. Maybe experience how the smoke tasted on Mo’s lips. He Tian watched Mo’s tongue as it darted out and wetted his lips.</p><p>“I’m a human,” Mo said, his voice coming out hoarse, “I don’t let myself be controlled by my instincts.” He jumped off the railing, leaving He Tian’s side cold and empty.</p><p>He Tian watched him for another drag of his cigarette, from this angle he could see the edges of black and blue bruises peeking out of the neck of Mo’s sweatshirt. “That’s quite mean, little Mo,” He Tian said as he jumped down next to him. “So me and She Li are animals and only you’re human?”</p><p>Mo gave him a small shrug and a smirk and He Tian tried to tell himself that he wasn’t utterly charmed by that. “I just say it like I see it, boss.”</p><p>He Tian smirked back, stepping back into Mo’s warmth. “Don’t call me boss,” he complained. “I’m not in the triad.”</p><p>Mo took a step back, distancing himself from He Tian. “You’re a clingy motherfucker, huh?” he snorted, blowing smoke between them. “And what were you doing there that night if you aren’t in the triad?”</p><p>“It’s cold outside, you’re warm,” He Tian replied, resolutely closing the distance between them. “That night? I was the same as you – paying back a favor to my brother.”</p><p>“How is you being cold my fucking problem?” he asked irritably, but he didn’t move – which He Tian considered a win. “Can you even say you’re not in the triad if it’s your family’s business?”</p><p>He Tian slipped closer and leaned against the wall so that he was shoulder to shoulder with Mo. He looked at the sharp line of his nose and jaw, the length of his eyes and lashes, the line of his neck as is disappeared into the too-big sweater. His fingers tingled. He wanted to touch.</p><p>“I’m trying to stay out of the family business,” He Tian answered, his voice coming out in a whisper.</p><p>“Oh yeah?” Mo huffed, rubbing his cigarette out on the wall. “How’s that working out for you?”</p><p>“It was hard for a while, ‘cause I didn’t know what else to do,” he answered, snuffing his cigarette out on the wall, “But I found a place I want to work at recently, so I think it’ll be easier from now on.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Mo said, watching He Tian with those unreadable eyes of his.</p><p>Something about the way he looked at He Tian made He Tian’s stomach clench. Maybe Mo was right, he thought faintly, unable to tear his eyes away from Mo’s. Maybe he was an animal. His eyes slipped down to Mo’s lips, and his teeth ached. He wanted to sink his teeth into them. See what they tasted like for himself.</p><p>Mo watched him for a second longer before sighing and turning around. “I’m going to close up early,” he said, “You better grab your friend and go.”</p><p>“Okay,” He Tian said faintly, following Mo back inside the restaurant. His fingers tingled. He wanted to reach out and grab him.</p><p>Zhengxi was sitting alone at the table when they returned, Jian Yi behind the register, bright red and obviously avoiding looking towards Zhengxi.</p><p>Zhengxi had a weird look on his face, something cocky and satisfied – it grossed He Tian out.</p><p>“Boss man says we gotta go,” He Tian said, grabbing his card and receipt from the table.</p><p>“Let’s come back again,” Zhengxi said, standing up, “The service is great here.”</p><p>He Tian watched Jian Yi shoot a glare at Zhengxi at that, his face even redder if possible. He looked over his receipt. “Mo,” he called out, “Your little blonde didn’t charge me for the 15.”</p><p>Mo barely looked at him, wringing out a towel from behind the counter. “We don’t even have 15 good bottles in the shop,” he grunted out, “You paid your bill, now get out.”</p><p>He Tian walked over to the counter, admiring Mo’s forearms as they flexed. “No way,” he smiled, “A deal’s a deal. Ring me up for the 15 – I don’t care if you don’t have 15 bottles. I’m not going to take any bottles home with me.”</p><p>Mo wiped the counter, pushing He Tian’s elbows off with the wet towel. “Dear valued customer,” Mo sighed, a frown tugging at his lips, “Please stop saying stupid shit and leave.”</p><p>He Tian huffed a laugh at that. Mo was so cute. “Fine, fine,” he said walking backwards towards the door, “But I’ll definitely pay you back for this! I don’t like being in debt.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Jian Yi said, stepping out from behind the counter to push both He Tian and Zhengxi out the door. “Please never visit us again and have a bad night.” With that, he closed the door in their faces and locked it, giving them the finger as he flicked the open sign to closed.</p><p>He Tian and Zhengxi stood in front of the locked door for a few seconds, watching the two men clean up.</p><p>“I thought I told you to keep it in your pants,” He Tian murmured, his eyes following Mo as he moved around the restaurant.</p><p>“Fuck you,” Zhengxi murmured back, “I wasn’t the one eye fucking the redhead all night.”</p><p>“Yeah,” He Tian agreed, “You were eye fucking the blondie.”</p><p>“It’s your fault that eye fucking is all I can do,” Zhengxi sighed, “Jian Yi thinks I’m evil because of you.”</p><p>He Tian elbowed Zhengxi in the ribs, “He thinks you’re evil because you are evil, dipshit.”</p><p>Zhengxi elbowed him back, hard enough to make him stumble sideways. “You’re evil,” Zhengxi argued back petulantly, “I hope the redhead rips your dick off.”</p><p>“You think he’d ever touch my dick?” He Tian asked, feeling a sharp heat going through him at the thought.</p><p>“Ugh,” Zhengxi groaned, slapping a hand over his eyes, “I said to rip it off! Don’t look so hopeful about that.”</p><p>He Tian smirked and pulled Zhengxi away from the restaurant and onto the main street. “I think I’d let little Mo do whatever he wanted with my dick,” he hummed, enjoying how Zhengxi looked pained at his words.</p><p>“You’re such a fucking weirdo,” Zhengxi groaned, pulling his arm from He Tian’s grasp.</p><p>“Shut up,” He Tian laughed, “As if you wouldn’t let blondie do whatever he wanted to your dick too.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Zhengxi hummed, a disgusting, perverted smile on his face. He Tian wanted to punch him. “Jian Yi is nicer than the redhead. He probably wouldn’t rip my dick off.”</p><p>“Mo is nice,” He Tian defended, “He said it was good that we weren’t in the triad.”</p><p>“You’re right,” Zhengxi agreed dryly, “What an angel.”</p><p>“Exactly!” He Tian said, throwing an arm around Zhengxi’s shoulder, “Anyway, you don’t have to be nice when you look like him.”</p><p>Zhengxi snorted at that, “You’re so fucking gay.”</p><p>He Tian grinned, “What was is you said? Appreciating beauty is not gay or some shit?”</p><p>“A heathen like you doesn’t know how to appreciate shit,” Zhengxi sneered, “Anyway aren’t you forgetting something important?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You’re the one who beat the shit out of him – the redhead’s not going to forget that anytime soon.”</p><p>He Tian sighed, slouching onto Zhengxi as they walked back towards his apartment. “Yeah,” he muttered. He kicked a rock on the ground in annoyance. “It’s all your fucking fault,” he growled, shaking Zhengxi side to side, “If you hadn’t gone and gotten yourself stabbed, I wouldn’t have had to do that.”</p><p>“Mercy, mercy,” Zhengxi begged spiritlessly, his voice monotone. “I was just trying to save Jian Yi. How was I supposed to know triad politics worked that way?”</p><p>“No good deed goes unpunished in the triad,” He Tian replied.</p><p>He thought of Mo’s back, the bruises that had colored him long before He Tian had ripped it to shreds.</p><p>All that for a friend.</p><p>Mo had spent two years in prison to get out of the triad and he had walked back in to save his friend.</p><p>He didn’t know why he couldn’t get over that fact, but it repeated in his head over and over again. What kind of person did you have to be to do that, He Tian wondered. How much loyalty – how much love did a person have to be capable of?</p><p>He wondered what it would be like to be loved by someone like that.</p><p>Someone honest.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This story is becoming a lot cuter than I intended but whatever lol<br/><a href="https://sincerelystranger.tumblr.com/">sincerelystranger.tumblr.com</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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